Packaging supplier OPACKGROUP has introduced a bottle-labelling solution designed to make it easier to separate sleeves from PET bottles during recycling, alongside Dutch recycling partner Morssinkhof-Rymoplast.

The announcement, dated 29 October 2026, describes a Circu-sleeve system in which a stretch sleeve fits around a bottle without adhesive. The bottle is made from 100% recycled PET, while the sleeve contains 50% post-consumer recycled content.

The technical issue is important for food and beverage packaging buyers because labels and adhesives can complicate the separation of materials during recycling. OPACKGROUP says the design allows the lightweight sleeve to be separated before further PET processing.

After collection, Morssinkhof-Rymoplast processes the packaging into flakes. Air separation removes lighter sleeve material, and a sink-float process separates PET from lighter sleeve and cap fractions. Because the label is not glued to the bottle, adhesive residues do not interfere with washing.

The sleeve’s polyethylene fraction can also be recycled into new plastic raw material. The company says a cap-to-cap recycling solution is still under development and should not be described as already completed.

For supermarket own-label drinks and bottled-water suppliers, a recyclable design can help simplify discussions around packaging specifications and material recovery. However, actual recycling performance still depends on local collection systems, sorting infrastructure and acceptance by recycling operators.

The presence of recycled content does not in itself establish a bottle’s overall environmental impact. Buyers should also consider food-contact compliance, sleeve ink, packaging weight, transport and evidence that the materials are recovered at commercial scale.

Independent coverage has primarily focused on the technical design. GTN’s added emphasis is on retailer procurement checks, including whether suppliers can provide documentation that supports on-pack recycling claims in each market.

The announcement also belongs within the European packaging transition covered in GTN’s Netherlands packaging industry overview and European packaging materials analysis.

The next test is broader commercial adoption and evidence from recycling operations processing the packaging at scale.

Editor’s Note: Based on OPACKGROUP’s original release of 29 October 2026. GTN distinguishes the company’s recycling-design claims from independently demonstrated recovery rates.